Will I recognize my parents in heaven?

Many Bible scholars agree that Christians will recognize Christians who have gone to heaven before them. That assurance is based on the example of Jesus who, after his resurrection appeared in his glorified body yet was still known to his followers. In Matthew 17:1-3 we have the record of Jesus meeting Moses and Elijah while Peter, James and John watched and they recognized them. These examples give us great hope that we will definitely know those we do on Earth who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That is one reason why it is so important for us who believe to tell our loved ones and friends about Christ. 

What we will look like in heaven is somewhat a mystery. We are promised that we will have resurrected and glorified bodies like Jesus. But Jesus was killed in the prime of his life. He did not reach old age on earth as will many of us. So we don’t know what physical characteristics we will have in heaven. Will everyone be in the prime of life even though they died in old age? The Bible does not reveal this answer. However, in the book, Heaven is Real, a young boy’s near death experience suggests this as a possibility. And what about little children? Will they be children or have matured into young adults? Again, it is a question to which we will discover the answer once we are there. Certainly those who died as infants will be in heaven. While all who are born inherit a sin nature, infants, little ones, while in their age of innocence will be ushered into the throne of God. 

We will probably all be surprised at who we meet in heaven and who is not there. It is likely that Adam and Eve will be there. Others we might expect to meet would include Noah, Jonah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Moses, Joshua, King David, Joseph and Mary, John the Baptist, the Apostles, the Prophets, and more recent persons like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Andrew Jackson, Fanny Crosby, Charles Wesley, John Knox, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, Chuck Colson and millions upon millions of others who have put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And finally and most importantly each believer will have direct face-to-face fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ. 

If you are interested in reading more about heaven, we suggest The Heaven Answer Book, by Billy Graham and Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven. These books by notable Christian authors offer Biblically-based insights into heaven that are realistic and dependable.